No model



PATENTED' SEPT. 20, 1904.-

R. J. WAKEFIELD.

NEST.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30, 19041 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

Q I $100M" ATTOHNE f5,

No.770,547. PATENTBD"SEPT.20,1904.

J. WAKEFIELD.

NEST.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30, 1904.

N0 MODEL. v I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

2f J r UNITED STATES 'Patented September 20, 1904.

RALPH J. WAKEFIELD, OF GLENVILLE, OHIO.

NEST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,547, dated September 20, 1904.

Application filed January '30, 1904. Serial No. 191,315. (No model.)

To a. whom (it may concern:

Be itknown that I, RALPH J. WAKEFIELD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Glenville, in the county of Ouyalioga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nests; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in hens nests. I

One object of this invention is to provide a nest which will be entirely closed when the fowl is setting therein, so as to protect the fowl from disturbance by other animals.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for identifying and separating the hens which are laying from those of the flock which are not laying and to keep track of the number of eggs laid by any particular hen.

My invention therefore consists in providinga nest having doors arranged to completely close said nest and means for connecting the said doors so that the hen on leaving the nest through one door will open, the other door, so that another hen can enter the nest.

My invention also consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts, as described in the specification, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan of my improved nest with the top removed and the entrance-door in position to allow the hen to enter the nest. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2 2, Fig. l, with the door in the same position. Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1, showing the nest closed with the hen therein. Fig.- 4 is a View similar to Fig. 1, showing the hen leaving the nest.

1n the accompanying drawingsfl represents a rectangular box, which is provided with a hinged lid 2. At each end ofv the box are formed openings 4 and 5. The opening 4, that is the opening through which the fowl enters the nest, is provided with a door 6, which is hinged to swing horizontally. On the inside of the door 6, near the hinges, are secured a series of rods 8, which project at a right angle to the said door and are so arranged that when the door is open,-so as to allow the hen to enter the nest, the said bars will extend across the said opening 6. The opening 5 is also provided with adoor 7, which is hinged to swing horizontally to allow the hen to leave the nest. The door 7 is normally held shut by means of a spring 9. Tothe inside of the door 7 is secured a bar 10, which extends at a right angle therefrom. A bar 11 is secured to the door 6 and is arranged to lap over the bar 10. On the bar 10 is preferably arranged a catch 12, which engages the bar 11 so as to lock the entrance-door. In the exit-door 7 is formed a small window or opening 13.

The operation of my nest is as follows: When the nest is empty and the entrance-door open,

the bars 8,'which are secured to said door,will always be in the path of a fowl entering the nest, and therefore when a fowl enters the nest it comes in contact with said bars and shoves them in in front of it, thereby swinging the door shut behind, and the movement of the fowl as it settles itself in the nest completely closes the door, and the catch 12 on the bar 10 engages with the bar 11, thereby locking the door. When the fowl wishes to leave the nest, it goes toward the opening 13 in the exit-door and shoves open the door ahead of,it, and as the exit-door opens the bar 10 secured thereto comes in contact with the bar 11, secured on the entrancedoor,6, thereby opening the entrance-door 6 and placing it in position for the next fowl to enter the nest. When the fow-l leaves the nest, the exit-door 7 is closed by means of the spring 9. The exit-door 7 is preferably arranged to open into a suitable pen or coop, inwhich the fowl door and arranged to lap over the bar secured to the last-mentioned door and the arrangement is such that the opening of the exit-door will open the entrance-door, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

2. An improved nest comprising a closed box having an entrance-opening, a door arranged to close said opening, bars secured to said door and arranged to'extend across the path of a fowl when said door is in position to allow the hen to enter the nest, an exitopening, a spring-controlled door arranged to close said opening and having an opening 

